


Start Spreadin' the News

by Alexis_Rockford



Series: Fictober 2018: 31 Fandoms in 31 Days [29]
Category: Gilmore Girls
Genre: AO3 FACEBOOK CHALLENGE, AO3 FB Challenge, AO3 Writers Facebook Group, AO3 Writers Facebook Group Monthly Challenge, Brooklyn, F/M, Fictober, Literati, New York City, Post-Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life, Pregnancy, Writers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 17:04:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16453919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexis_Rockford/pseuds/Alexis_Rockford
Summary: A big day for Jess becomes an even bigger one for Rory as she goes into labor right before his first important book signing.This ficlet was written in response to the Fictober prompt for October 29, 2018: World class





	Start Spreadin' the News

_If I can make it there, I'll make it anywhere..._  
  
The lyrics to the old Sinatra song buzzed in Jess Mariano's head as his town car pulled up to the facade of Books are Magic.

The corner front that Brooklyn's finest independent bookshop occupied looked cozy and unassuming considering the talented writers who had held events there over the years. Jess's lips broke into his trademark lopsided grin as he noted the sign in the window. "Book Signing Tonight with World-Class Author Jess Mariano, National Book Award Finalist for his novel _The Marriage of True Minds_."

A tap on the glass shook him from his reverie. Chris, his old friend from Truncheon Books who also happened to be his manager, greeted him from the inside of the store with a wide toothy smile. “Get in here, Hemingway!” he called, opening the door and dragging his client inside.

“As much as I appreciate being compared to my literary idol, I’ll take a hard pass if the heavy drinking and suicide come with the honor,” he quipped as he looked around inside. Seeing the many displays of books made his heart beat a little faster as being in a room full of knowledge always did. “Damn, this place is amazing.”

“Some of the books don’t suck either,” Chris added, nodding at the copies of Jess’s book on a nearby display.

Jess’s excitement at seeing his book so prominently displayed was momentarily jarred by a buzzing from the pocket of his suit coat. He frowned, retrieving his phone and quickly sending the caller to voicemail. “Sorry. You were saying?”

Chris was reading from the flap of the dust cover. “Mariano’s debut novel is a heart-wrenching commentary on the obstacles facing sapiosexuality in our culture. Man, I thought this book was about your crush on your ex-girlfriend.”

Jess’s face fluctuated between heat and cold for a moment. “The guy who wrote that blurb sounds like a real asshole,” he joked lamely, but he had gone pale and clammy at the mention of Rory. He needed to pull himself together. She would be arriving here in just a few hours. He couldn’t let his feelings for her get the better of him or he would embarrass her in front of everyone.

His phone vibrated again. “I guess I better take this,” he said to Chris as he hit the “Accept” button. “Hey, Lorelai. Are you calling to congratulate me?”

“Hey, Jess.” Lorelai’s voice sounded strained in a way that he’d rarely heard from her before.

Suddenly, his senses were on full alert. “Where’s Rory?” he asked suddenly. He’d known she was on her way. She wouldn’t miss his big night for the world.

“That’s the thing,” Lorelai continued. “Kid’s always had absolutely no sense of timing. Why would her daughter be any different?”

Adrenaline shot like ice water through his veins. “She’s gone into labor? But she isn’t due for a month yet!”

“Surprise,” Lorelai said unenthusiastically.

Jess bolted from the shop and ran down the street after his town car. Fortunately, it hadn’t gotten very far in the crazy traffic. He managed to flag down the driver and climb inside. “I’m on my way,” he said in a rush and hung up. Looking in the rearview mirror, he noticed his manager running after him. He rolled down the window to speak to him. “Sorry, Chris,” he said. “I have to go. I just hope I’m not too late.”

“This could ruin your career,” Chris protested feebly, although he knew it was no use. Jess had always been a soft touch where Rory was concerned.

“I know,” he muttered. “Do as much damage control as you can. Apologize to the president of the damn publishing company if you have to.”

Chris nodded solemnly. “Good luck,” he replied with a salute. “And remember: we’ll always have Cedar Bar Redux.”

Jess laughed hoarsely in spite of himself. “We were never  _ever_ gonna call it that.”

************

Several excruciating hours later, Jess burst into the waiting room of the hospital in Hartford where Rory had been admitted. His uncle leapt to his feet when he saw him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Luke scolded him, removing his ubiquitous baseball cap and running a hand through his thinning hair. “Are you really skipping out on your big shindig?”

Jess glared at him as coldly as he could with those warm, chocolate eyes. “You really think I would miss this for anything in the world?” he spat hotly. Luke’s eyes shifted downward meekly as he hastily sat back down.

Emily Gilmore was poised in serenity in an uncomfortable plastic chair next to Luke. “She won’t want to see you, you know,” she said in that sweet yet tart voice that she seemed to reserve only for him.

“I’d like to hear that from her own lips, if you don’t mind, Ms. Gilmore,” Jess retorted.

Emily merely raised her eyebrows and gave a noncommittal shrug. Jess turned back to his uncle. “Where is she?”

**************

“Um, hello, Jess,” Lorelai greeted him pointedly as he pushed past her into the birthing room.

He stood stock still when he saw her. She was bedraggled with sweat pouring down her sweet heart-shaped face. Her hair was a tangled mess and her eyes were bright and filmy at the same time.  
  
“Jess,” she whispered disbelievingly. Their eyes locked for an eternal instant. She seemed as though she were going to smile for a moment, then suddenly, her eyes flashed with anger. “Get out!” she screamed. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”

Lorelai looked at him with pity. “Sorry, kid,” she said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I guess the drugs haven’t fully kicked in yet.”

The attending nurse, having been alerted by Rory’s cry of distress, entered the room. Her glance wandered between Rory and Jess for a moment. “Only family allowed in here. Are you the father?”

The sadness in Jess’s eyes was nearly unbearable to behold. “No, I’m not,” he murmured as he turned to go.

“Wait.” Rory’s voice was clear and strong in spite of the pain she was obviously in. Jess’s head swiveled back at the sound, and their eyes met again. “He can stay.”

The nurse looked at Rory in consternation, but raised a shoulder in a half-shrug as she departed. “Call me when the contractions get closer together.”

Jess hurried to Rory’s side, pulling up a nearby chair. Lorelai smiled a watery smile at the two of them from the other side of the room.

“Hey,” said Jess.

“Hey.”

“You look terrible,” he said with a shaky laugh.

Rory rolled her eyes. “I tried to warn you.”

“You did,” he agreed affably, and she cracked a small smile.

He was about to ask her about her day when he noticed her wince. Without another word, he offered her his hand.

Rory regarded it for a moment, and he realized that she was facing some kind of internal dilemma. She might even be making one of her silly lists of pros and cons. To take Jess’s hand or to not take it? If she did take it, what did it mean? He knew what it would mean to him at least.

Finally, she grasped it and pulled it toward her, and Jess felt his heart speed crazily. “I love you,” she murmured drowsily.

“Are you sure that’s not just the Demerol talking?” he joked, even though this was the biggest moment of his life.

She smirked. “It might be,” she admitted pragmatically, “but you’ll have to stick around to find out.”

“Trust me, I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, giving her hand a squeeze.

Rory’s smile radiated from every corner of her being. “I know.”


End file.
